I learned value of community service

Nov. 28, 2012

Written by

Ian Hendricksen

The most useful thing that I ever learned from a teacher is how community service brings people together and show that deep inside, everyone has a good heart. The service offered can be in the form of helping individuals, fixing the environment or assisting a needy community. Participating in beach sweeps, serving meals at shelters to those less fortunate, volunteering at hospitals and working at the local SPCA are all ways that individuals, including teens, can help.

I have participated in community service on several occasions as a member of my schoolís National Junior Honor Society. Our adviser, Mrs. Bonett, once arranged for us to go to a nursing home to sing for the elderly people living there. I will never forget the way the tired, wrinkled faces came to life as we entered the room. Seeing a smile on their faces placed a smile right on mine. By the end of our visit, everyone was laughing and singing, so you could tell that we were definitely the highlight of their day. Participating in this activity made me feel good, and Iím sure the seniors felt the same way, too.

On another occasion, I went to a local beach to clean up the mess caused by Hurricane Irene last year. The beach sweep was organized by Clean Ocean Action. The trash on the beach looked like an endless wave that I had to take on. I worked hard for many hours until I finally picked up the final piece. I looked behind me, and the beach sparkled like sunlight glowing on a piece of metal. It was a beautiful sight. There was not one piece of trash left. Upon finishing. I realized that I had performed a great service for my community. This thought was my favorite part of the day.

Recently, I have had the chance to witness many volunteers working in my town of Oceanport following Hurricane Sandy. Many individual people in the community, including students from Maple Place and Wolf Hill Schools, provided help to those in need. Students sorted donated clothes, served food, washed dishes, and made beds for people at the shelter. I assisted by helping to remove belongings from homes that were affected by the flooding. As the final pieces of ruined items came out of the houses, I looked at the huge piles of rubble with a sense of pride for the help I had given. Sandy, the biggest storm to ever hit the Jersey Shore, gave the people of Oceanport an opportunity to prove that they have a true sense of community.

From these experiences I know that giving back makes you feel good inside, and I want to spread this feeling to others so they can learn to assist those around them. I find this lesson to be the most useful thing that I have ever learned from a teacher, because giving service has such a positive impact on all of life.